Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

FaithWalkers

Home
Evangelical
What if the Church Helped Provide Work Instead of Handouts?

What if the Church Helped Provide Work Instead of Handouts?

Last updated on: April 14, 2014 at 5:00 am by Bill Blankschaen

What if the Church Helped Provide Work Instead of Handouts? 2014-04-10T18:26:47-06:00 Bill Blankschaen

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This guest post by David Spickard originally appeared on Jobs for Life. David grew up in Nashville, TN, and has always had a heart for people in need. Since 1999, he has applied his MBA and love for God at Jobs for Life, first as its Director of Operations and then as its CEO, beginning in 2006. During this time, he has helped JfL grow from a local work in Raleigh, NC, to a global network of churches, ministries, and businesses helping men and women learn God’s design for work and find meaningful employment. David adores his wife, Alice, and their four children, and anything Carolina Blue.

The effects of a lack of work are pervasive and self-perpetuating. When people do not work, there is more poverty, crime, recidivism, homelessness, divorce, unwanted pregnancies, substance abuse, domestic violence, debt, depression, and suicide.

Work is extremely important to God. After all, God works and when He made us, He created us to work.

“Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28.

Through work, we experience dignity, unleash our unique talents and gifts, create community, renew cities, and worship God. The Church, therefore, is uniquely called and positioned to advance God’s Kingdom in the world by helping people experience the dignity of work.

But There Is a Problem.

The National Congregations Study, a major survey of church congregations from all over the United States led by Mark Chaves at Duke University in collaboration with the National Opinion and Research Center at the University of Chicago, discovered something interesting about the way churches engage people in need.

They found the top outreach program of the Church is food (51.5% of church congregations give food to people in need), the second is housing, the third is clothing.

Helping people go to work? It’s at the bottom of the list. The study found that only 1.9% of churches in all of America engage in efforts to help people learn and experience the dignity of work.

There are many reasons why this is the case, which we explore on our blog at Jobs for Life, but for now, let me ask a question.

What If We Flipped the List?

What if Work were on top of the list? Not to dismiss the need to help people with food, housing, clothing, and the rest, particularly in times of crisis or as a way to enter into relationship with people in need. But what if we spent the same amount of time, effort, and resources helping a man or woman find and keep a job as we do handing out clothes on a Saturday morning? What would that do?

In America alone, there are roughly 350,000 local church congregations. Most embrace and respond to God’s call for the Church to care for the poor. Very few help the poor find a job. But shouldn’t that be at the top of the list?

What do you think? Should the Church make it a bigger priority to help the poor find jobs? Click here to share your thoughts with a comment.

Photo by kennethkonica

Previous Post

April 10, 2014

Why We Need Rest: More Than the Work We Do

Next Post

August 5, 2014 Do You Start the Day with God before You?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews Christian Living Church Culture FaithWalkers Family Guest Posts In Your Church Interviews Leadership Movie Reviews Politics Spotlight Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2017 August 2017 July 2017 May 2017 March 2017 January 2017 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 May 2015 April 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 August 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Micah prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE